Clamp



Feb. 6, 1940. c HATHORN 2,189,172

CLAMP Filed March 10, 1959 FIG. 2.

i ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 6,. 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to clamps, and more particularly to clamps of the character disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 1,584,935, dated May 18, 1926.

Extensive use has been made of the patented clamp. It is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to apply and remove, and by reason of its wide range of, adjustment, can be used in connection with both large and small diameter hose or the like. The one drawback is that, in spite of the offset of the pivot axis of the operating screw in relation to its rotation axis, and of the character of threads provided, the operating screw, for one cause or another, jumps out or away from the threaded portion of the band, with the result that the clamp works loose. The reason for this is (a) poor workmanship in the manufacture of the clamp, or (b) fouling of the screwdriver in the clamp structure during a tightening operation.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means whereby accidental loosening of the camp, once tightened, is impossible. To effect this improvement, the operating screw or member is extended so as to avoid any accidental contact between the screwdriver and band in a. tightening operation; the number of operating-member threads is reduced; and lastly, but

most important, a yoke or support is added which not ony steadies the slotted end of the screw, but also ties the supporting ears (between which the screw is mounted) together, and provides at the same time a positive lock means for holding the complete assembly in its engaged or locked position. Otherwise, the clamp of the present invention is substantially the same as that described and claimed in my said patent. Preferably, the yoke or support is so organized in its relation to the operating screw as to move bodily therewith under all operating conditions.

illustrating its application;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing the relative arrangement of the band, the clamping screw and its support;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the screw and its support swung out of engagement with the threaded portion of the band;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the relative arrangement of the support, locking means, screw and band, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional end view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 5. v

The clamp l3 comprises a tough, flexible metal- I lie band I4 and an operating or clamping screw It. The screw it is carried by ears it either integral with or fastened to the band, and adjacent to the opposite end of the band from said ears, the band is provided with suitable teeth ll. At l0 its free end, the screw I5 is extended as at l8, and in said extended portion a screwdriver slot i9 is formed. At its opposite end the screw is provided with a head portion swivelly fastened in a disc 20 pivotally supported by trunnions 2| respectively engaging in the ears l6 of the band. Thus mounted, the screw is free to turn about its longitudinal axis, and isfree to move bodily into and out of threaded engagement with the band teeth l1. Except for the extension l8, and the reduced number of threads on the screw, the purpose of which will appear hereinafter, the clamp as thus described is identical with'the clamp of my issued patent.

As previously stated, a clamp thus characterized lacks certain advantages. -'Io attain such advantages, several changes in construction have been made. Instead of depending entirely upon the binding action occasioned by offsetting the pivot axis of the screw from its rotation axis for the locking action essential to a foolproof clamp, a positive locking adjunct is incorporated. Such adjunct preferably consists of a substantially U-shaped member 22 which, by reason of its mounting, not only tends to prevent the ears l6 from spreading, but in addition provides a suitable support for the free or extended end of the screw. As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the member 22 has formed in its bight portion, an opening 23 within which the extension it of the screw is fitted. The opposite end of the member 22 is pivotally fastened to the ears IE, on the outside thereof the pivot 2| for the disc serving in this regard a dual function. Thus mounted, the screw I5 and the member 22 are free to move toward and from the band It as a unit. In spite of the fact that the screw is supported adjacent to its opposite ends, the nature of the support is such that it in no way affects its free turning movement about its longitudinal axis. m

In operation, the threaded end of the band is placed in circumferential overlapping engagement with the opposite end thereof; 1. e., between the ears It and beneath the screw it and disc 20. To so lap the band ends, the screw I5, along 5 .(as by means of a screwdriver) to rotate the screw about its longitudinal or rotation axis. Obviously, as the screw is rotated, the band ends are caused to slide one upon the other. Preferably, the teeth in the band and in the screw are of the buttress type, and the number of teeth formed on the screw has been reduced.

The support 22 is desirable for several reasons. It provides a permanent support for the slotted or extended end of the screw I; it acts also to tie together the otherwise free ends of the ears I! so that they cannot spread; and in addition, by reason of its bight portion, it prevents accidental contact of the screwdriver with the ear ends in a tightening operation; i. e., one of the several reasons which might very conceivably cause the screw to Jump out or lose contact with theteeth of the band.

The support 22 also serves another and important function. It will be noted in Fig. 4 that holes 23' are provided in its side extensions out toward the bight. These holes 23' are aligned one with the other and, in certain positions of adjustment of the screw II with a through hole 24 formed in the latter.. It will also be noted that the ends of the-ears it are notchedas at 25 at the ends thereof over which the support extends when swungto contacting or locking position. Within these holes, when aligned, a cotter 26 or lockwire is adapted to be inserted (see Figs. 3 and 6). Said cotter, when inserted, not only prevents rotation of the screw relative to the support, but by its engagement with the notches 25, positively locks the screw and support against outward swinging movement.

A clamp characterized as above set forth, is incapable of accidentally working loose. The buttress threads of the band and screw; the oilset axes previously referred to; and the positive lock means, ,of which the screw support forms a part, all contribute to a workable and satisfactory foolproof clamp. By extending the free end of the screw, by reducing the number of screw threads, and by providing adjacent to the extended end of the screw a suitable support, the screw is steadied, the ears reinforced, and the possibility of the screwdriver fouling the threaded band as well as the ear ends, avoided.

While I have described my invention in detail in its present preferred embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding my invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. I aim in the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a clamp, a metallic band provided with teeth, an elongated member pivotally fastened at one end to said band, and a clamping screw Journaled at its opposite ends within said member, said screw being movable with said member and about the member axis into and out of interfltting engagement with said teeth.

2. In a clamp, a metallic band provided with teeth, spaced ears carried by the band and extended outwardly from the opposite band edges, 9. member pivotally fastened at one end to said ears and within the embrace of which the spaced ears are held against spreading, and a clamping screw journaled at its opposite ends within said member. said screw being movable with said member and about the member axis into and out of interfitting engagement with said teeth.

3. In a clamp, a metallic band provided with teeth, a member pivotally fastened at one end to said band, a clamping screw journaled at its opposite ends within said member, said screw being movable with said member and about the member axis into and out of interfltting engagement with said teeth, and means carried by said member and engageable with both the screw and the band to lock the screw against rotation and the member (and hence the screw) against bodily pivotal movement.

4. In a clamp, a metallic band provided with teeth, spaced ears carried by the band and extended outwardly from the opposite band edges, a member pivotally fastened at one end to said ears and within the embrace of which the spaced ears are held against spreading, a clamping screw journaled at its opposite ends within said member, said screw being movable with said member and about the member axis into and out of interfitting engagement with said teeth, and means carried by and extending crosswise said member and engageable with both the screw and the ears to lock the screw against rotation of the member (and hence the screw) against bodily pivotal movement.

CHARLES E. HATHORN. 

